A Promise She Keeps
by PhantasiaNight
Summary: To seal a Spirit, Shido must open their heart. Kurumi's heart though, was a fortress. One closed shut by a promise that she would give everything - except for her power. A night of passion however, starts them down an arduous path as Shido and Kurumi confront friend, family and enemy alike, and ultimately, discover what they mean to each other.
1. A Promise She Keeps

A/N: I hate fade-to-black sex scenes. **But thou must** to post on FFnet without fear of bans.

This is the edited (read: massively censored) version of a smut-fic on Archive Of Our Own that I have to meet FFnet's loosely-if-at-all enforced guidelines r.e. adult content.

Thus, warnings: if the implication and vague description of two fictional characters having sex bothers you, don't read this. Strong adult themes present.

As for disclaimers, I don't own any of the intellectual property in this story. They belong to their respective holders.

* * *

_I've died and gone to heaven. Or maybe Kurumi's already eaten me and she's my angel. _Shido's mind raced as he tried to process the bewitching sight in front of him.

Kurumi Tokisaki, the Worst Spirit, and strong candidate for the most beautiful Spirit, clad only in pure white lingerie, stood in front of him. Sensually, with grace beyond her years, Kurumi had loosened her skirt and blouse, which lay discarded at her feet as she revealed herself to him.

Until now, Shido would have never thought that pure white lingerie, exotic yet not intentionally erotic, could match up to the lacy, revealing black sets from the magazines that Tonomachi had tried to show him – or more fittingly, the set of lingerie that Kurumi's clone had worn at his request. Yet somehow, Kurumi, with a light blush and a coy smile, managed to turn the white, innocent panties and matching bra into a devastating weapon of temptation surpassing Origami, Nia and Miku's botched attempt at seduction _even with_ _purposely designed lingerie_.

"Shido-san…I gave you a promise," Kurumi said as she began to move towards a spellbound Shido, her hips swaying seductively.

…_a promise, to give you my everything, except my reiryoku…_

Kurumi's words echoed through his mind as she stepped closer. She was like a siren – her sweet voice, her honeyed words, the way she moved with all the grace and predatory intent of a panther – all of it rooted him to the spot, unable to move or look away as if his whole world was reduced to and centred on Kurumi.

Why couldn't he move? It wasn't as if he hadn't seen the other Spirits in a similar state of undress before, or act with similarly amorous intentions. And hadn't they tried to build up his resistance, aging themselves to try and seduce him? And as exciting as that was, he had been able to resist – albeit just barely. So what was it about Kurumi then, which made it so hard for him to turn away?

Maybe it was her teasing, seductive personality that few of the Spirits could hope to match. Maybe it was the tantalising aura of mystery around her. And maybe it was that little beat in his heart that glowed and sped up when he had to match wits with Kurumi, and that became even more prominent as Kurumi reached him.

Slowly, almost lovingly, Kurumi wrapped her arms behind his neck. Literally at arms-length, Kurumi met his eyes with her red and golden ones.

"H-hey, Kurumi…" Shido tried to break the tension hanging in the air. He made the mistake of breaking away from her gaze and looking down.

The sight of her milky white cleavage, soft, silky smooth and looking _oh-so-inviting_ snatched what little breath he still had away. His mouth went dry and his heart thumped faster than ever as he imagined, quite vividly, exactly what Kurumi was promising him.

With great difficulty, he forced his eyes to look at Kurumi and not her generous chest.

A small part of him however wanted nothing more than to tear off her remaining clothing and bury himself in her breasts.

Kurumi took a step forward, the same coy smile still on her face. The sudden intrusion into his space caused Shido to take a step back.

Kurumi stepped forward again.

"K-Kurumi, wh-what are you doing..?" Shido desperately asked, his arms locked ramrod straight at his sides – afraid that if he touched her in her current state, he'd lose all control and turn into a raging monster the likes of which would make his feverish disaster a few months ago look tame – as he gave ground to Kurumi's unrelenting advance.

Kurumi's only response was to continue moving closer and closer.

Shido couldn't help but to feel slightly unnerved at the situation; yet he couldn't prevent a tremor of excitement that raced through him, sending the hairs on his arms standing on edge. He swallowed nervously. "Kurumi –"

He yelped suddenly in surprise as his leg struck the bed, tipping him backwards onto it. Quick as a flash, Kurumi suddenly dropped into his lap and straddled him, pinning him down and preventing him from escaping. The excitement and nervousness shot up tenfold, not helped by the fact that he was very conscious that her panty-clad crotch was directly above his – the mere thought of her womanhood grinding into him was causing him to harden in response.

"Shido-san," Kurumi said, her voice low and husky, eyes half-lidded as she licked her lips. He found himself drawn to the sudden motion, fixated on her mouth and the wetness on her lips, and suddenly wanted nothing more than to kiss her, to snatch her soft lips between his own and taste her.

Kurumi kept speaking however, drawing his gaze away from her lips to meet her heterochromatic gaze.

"I did promise you," Kurumi said, placing her hands on his shoulders.

Slowly, Kurumi traced her hands down Shido's shoulders and arms, leaving behind an electrifying tingle that sent shivers racing down his spine.

"And I always keep my promises, Shido-san." Kurumi suddenly pulled his hands to her almost-bare shoulders before reaching behind her and undoing the clasp of her bra.

"Hey, Kurumi!" Shido panicked as he felt her smooth skin under his fingers. "Wait –!"

Kurumi did not wait as she took hold of his hands again, and guided his fingers underneath the straps of her bra and pulled them down. He held his breath as her bra fell away, revealing Kurumi in all her near-naked glory, the sight causing him to momentarily forget how to breathe.

Kurumi was beautiful.

Kurumi's long, pitch-black hair fell over her shoulders, contrasting brilliantly against her porcelain-white skin. Her bangs, which usually served to cover her golden eye, a reminder of her supernatural nature, had parted to reveal hints of the eye underneath, a stark contrast to her other blood-red eye. He couldn't help but stare and admire the rest of her body, willing himself to burn it into memory. Kurumi was the perfect embodiment of the feminine form; from her beautiful face, down to her slender waist that begged to be held, and flaring out to her hips that her panties still hugged.

But it was her breasts which drew most of his attention. Kurumi's Astral Dress emphasised her well-endowed body, and she enjoyed taking advantage of it to tease him, giving him glimpses into her cleavage, purposefully bending down to look at him in their previous interactions. Now that her breasts were free from her dress or any bra, they were more than he could've imagined – and it took all of Shido's willpower to resist reaching up and grabbing them.

Then Kurumi gently took hold of his hands, bringing them tantalisingly close to her chest – so close, he could almost feel the warmth radiating off Kurumi's body.

Shido's willpower wavered.

"Touch me, Shido-san," Kurumi whispered seductively, hints of lust colouring her tone.

His willpower promptly shattered.

A grin spread across Kurumi's face as he reached for her, and she let out a sigh of pleasure and arched her back as the boy's fingers started running across her flesh…

* * *

Kurumi took the lead that night. The beautiful Spirit, who had promised him everything, carefully coaxed and guided Shido through his first intimate experience with a woman. For Shido, who had dreamt of the moment, it had more than he could've imagined in his wildest dreams – or more appropriately, given that it was Kurumi who was sitting atop of him, a beautiful nightmare.

Yet during the night, no matter how close to him Kurumi became, her mismatched eyes staring hungrily into his own as her hips rocked him against her, she never, ever approached his lips with her own.

And through the haze of desire, lust and pleasure that clouded both of them as they coupled, Shido did his best to remember every minute detail of the moment. It was a fruitless endeavour, as only snatches of it would likely remain – the sensuous moans that escaped Kurumi's lips, her breasts bouncing and swaying, the way her mouth parted slightly as she panted and licked her lips, lidded eyes clouded with lust gazing back at him.

But there would be few memories more precious than when Kurumi reached her second, screaming climax of the night after his. Quivering from the sheer pleasure, Kurumi could do nothing more than hold onto Shido tightly until her climax finally ended. Completely exhausted yet satisfied, the Spirit collapsed bodily against his chest, falling back onto the bed in each other's embrace, panting as they tried to recuperate from the intensity of their coupling.

Shido groaned as he slipped out of Kurumi, shivering at the sudden cold and friction. He still hugged Kurumi against him, listening as she panted and shook from the little aftershocks of pleasure still running through her body. Still amazed at what they had just done and what he had experienced – including the loss of his virginity – he summoned the strength to speak, a normally everyday action rendered all the more Herculean with the complete lack of energy he felt.

"That," he stopped as his voice broke, and he swallowed and started again. "Kurumi, that was amazing. _Thank you_."

He felt connected to Kurumi in every way possible, emotionally, mentally and physically, and he poured out his heartfelt thanks to her for sharing such a special moment with him. The exhaustion that permeated him from their frenzied lovemaking couldn't prevent a deep sense of satisfaction as he held Kurumi against his chest, nor could it prevent the happy smile that settled on his face. Truly there was no other comparable experience for Shido. He could die, quite happily, now. The world was complete, and it consisted only of him and the beautiful, exhausted Spirit in his arms.

Kurumi finally shifted, letting out a pleased sigh as she lifted her head and met his gaze, head tilted in a flirtatious manner. "To hear such thanks from you Shido-san, and after making me come quite a few times tonight as well…you really know how to please a girl," Kurumi smiled as she rested her head against his chest. "I'm glad you enjoyed it, Shido-san."

No more words were said. Shido began to caress Kurumi's hair, gently tracing through her silky black locks as they settled into each other, basking in the warm afterglow. The warmth didn't last, as the chilliness in the air eventually forced them into the covers, shuffling around with Kurumi pulling the blanket over them.

"Hey, Kurumi?"

"Mmm?" Kurumi let out a sleepy acknowledgement for him to continue.

Hugging Kurumi to his chest, feeling her warm body press snugly into his as if they had been made for each other, it was difficult for Shido to reconcile the Kurumi he thought he knew half a day ago, with the Kurumi now who had shared everything with him, who showed tantalising hints of vulnerability and humanity of the girl underneath. Even though he knew her goal and title as she proclaimed it, and that normally being close to and alone with someone who had admitted to wanting to eat him would rank quite highly as a stupid idea, he felt _safe_ and _protective_ of the girl in his arms. For that, he had to ask her.

"What happens to us now? Does this change anything? Are we – ?"

Kurumi hushed him with a finger to his lips.

"Sssh. Not now," Kurumi said tiredly, not moving from her position on his chest. "Please, can we just enjoy this for tonight? Tomorrow, I will tell Shido-san everything. I promise."

Shido guessed that there had to be some reason Kurumi didn't want to address the issue tonight. Relaxing at the fact that she wasn't planning to leave, he nodded. It wasn't a hard choice really – he was tired and wanted nothing more than to sleep now. Kurumi's breathing had slowed too, becoming rhythmic as she began to slumber. Shido could feel his eyelids drooping as Kurumi's warm and comforting presence also began to draw him towards sleep.

Tomorrow. Kurumi had promised that tomorrow, they would find out what they were. As much as he wanted to know what their relationship would be now, Shido was okay with waiting. He wasn't worried.

He knew Kurumi always kept her promise.


	2. A Promise He Made

A/N: Apologies for how long this chapter took. Hopefully the length makes up for it. And the rest of the Spirits finally make an appearance.

As with the last chapter, this is an edited version of the whole story including lemons that's on Archive of Our Own. If you want the full thing including the sexy sexy smut, go there. The DaL archive on Archive of Our Own is fairly small so it isn't hard to find and it is published under my other penname, PhantasyStar.

Many, many heartfelt thanks to ShadowedTime for beta-ing, providing encouragement and feedback, and stopping my egregious comma abuse. If this chapter reads better, it is all thanks to them.

And as always, feedback is welcome and appreciated - especially regarding the length of these chapters. Do let me know if you readers would prefer similarly long chapters, or more easily digestible shorter chapters.

Spoiler warnings for volume 16 at the end. Strong adult themes.

* * *

Morning. The promise of another day.

A day that promised to be entirely different when Shido woke up and noticed his surroundings.

He wasn't on his bed.

He wasn't in his room.

That he wasn't alone.

That realisation alone was enough to jerk him upright, the single fact piercing cleanly through the morning fog of sleep. And the fact was made all the more apparent when the figure next to him rose up sleepily and yawned, jostled awake by his sudden movements.

Heart hammering, Shido stared at Kurumi as the sheets slipped off her shoulder to pool around her lap, revealing her naked body to him. Then Kurumi stretched, smiling when she saw his gaze lingering on her chest.

"Good morning, Shido-san. Did you sleep well?"

"G-good morning Kurumi," Shido stuttered.

A confusing mass of emotions swirled within the boy. How should he respond? Or feel? Shido had no clue where to even start. Kurumi had offered up her body to him last night as she had promised. As a result, he had lost his virginity in mind-blowingly amazing sex with her. It was certainly an experience he wouldn't be forgetting any time soon. He couldn't help but feel giddy at the thought, his heart racing as he remembered. The sensations of the previous night; of her hot and wet flesh tightly clamped around his, him sliding perfectly into her as if they were specially made for each other, of his orgasm as he came, still buried deep in Kurumi; all of these were like a drug. He wanted to experience it again. But the emotional side of him struggled.

He was attracted to Kurumi – how could he not? She was beautiful, mysterious, charming; so much so, it was easy to forget that she had murdered and killed of her volition. But even in the face of that fact, he couldn't push her away, or smother the feelings smouldering in his heart. It was her memories that still stayed with him. Hope that turned to pain, happiness to anger, friendship to betrayal. Cast out into the cold, unforgiving world with nothing more than the dress on her back, the gun in her hand and the anger in her heart. Shido had a soft spot for those who the world rejected, himself having experienced it. And everything Kurumi showed him, set off a burning desire in his heart to embrace her, and show her a world away from the hurt and pain.

It wasn't the sex itself that ignited the feelings swelling up in him. It was those tantalising glimpses of the girl underneath. Not quite vulnerable – he'd hesitate to ever describe Kurumi as vulnerable – but softer, more caring. Almost tender in her affections. The hints which promised Kurumi could be so much more than the irredeemable girl she claimed to be.

But his emotions struggled with a sense of guilt from a place he couldn't put a finger on. Was it guilt, for taking Kurumi up on her promise? Or was it guilt, from neglecting the other Spirits?

Forcing aside the swirling, conflicting emotions inside of him, Shido swallowed. "I did sleep well, and yourself?"

"How kind of you, Shido-san. I also slept very well…" Kurumi smiled as she swung her leg over his hips, straddling him and leaning in close. Her hot breath tickled his ear. "…and I could get used to this – waking up with Shido-san in my bed…"

The sheer eroticism in Kurumi's voice sent shivers running down his spine, and blood racing to a specific part of his body. Kurumi grinned as she felt him harden beneath her, and slowly began to rock her hips back and forth –

A shrill beeping erupted from a phone on the table. It startled them enough to cause Kurumi to stop and dragged their attention to the time. Panic again promptly stepped in.

"Damn it!" Shido cursed as he suddenly realised that they were late for school. "Kurumi, Kotori – "

"Kotori-san already knows of your absence, Shido-san," Kurumi said, rolling off him and getting out of the bed. She walked over to the wardrobe in the corner, plucked a set of clothing off the handle and handed it to Shido. It was his school uniform he had been wearing yesterday, freshly cleaned and pressed. He stared at it, confused, before Kurumi pushed it against him. "Please get dressed Shido-san, otherwise we'll be late."

He hastily threw on the uniform. He certainly hoped that the freshness of the clothes would mask any other, lingering smells from the night before. Kurumi – one of her clones most likely – must have cleaned his uniform last night, as he distinctly remembered throwing off his clothes at Kurumi's request. It was a surprisingly kind gesture of her, and it only added to the confusing mess that were his feelings about Kurumi. As he dressed, he sneaked glances at Kurumi as she slipped into her underwear and bra before shrugging on a crisp white shirt. He was mesmerised, barely paying attention to his own hands as he watched her pull the rest of the uniform on and button up her black jacket.

And then suddenly, she was standing in front of him, tying her hair into their tails and pulling her bangs to cover her left eye.

"Ara, Shido-san," Kurumi blinked in mild surprise as she looked him over. "You can't go out looking like this. Here, let me help you."

"H-hey Kurumi-!" Shido's surprise was cut short as Kurumi stepped in close with a faint smile, and loosened his tie. He couldn't help but inhale as she stepped closer, her scent filling his nose – how did she still smell so good after all their physical exertion last night?

Her hands moved swiftly as she re-buttoned his shirt that he had messed up while lost in his thoughts, tugged and straightened out his jacket and neatly redid his tie. Shido wasn't absolutely certain, but he felt that her light touches against his chest as she fixed his clothing were gentle and caring. By the time he had shaken himself out his thoughts, Kurumi was finished with his clothing and started combing through his hair with her hand, flattening out any unruly locks. In moments, he was presentable again.

"There." Kurumi stepped back. "Much better. You look very handsome, Shido-san."

"Ah..."

An awkward silence filled the room as the two of them realised that they had more or less enacted the roles of a loving wife seeing her husband off to work. Kurumi's cheeks flushed a light hue of red.

"We, uh, should get going," Shido offered. As much as he wanted to find out more about Kurumi, the two of them were already likely causing rumours at school given the scene that he had made when asking her out yesterday. Showing up late, together, was akin to dumping petrol onto a fire.

"Y-yes, you're right Shido-san. Then, let's go." Kurumi blushed before heading for the door, where her and Shido's bags were sitting.

Slipping on her shoes, Kurumi waited for Shido before the two of them began hastily walking towards school.

Knowing that Origami and Tohka, Kaguya and Yuzuru were waiting for him, and having spent the night with Kurumi, Shido couldn't help but feel as if he was walking towards his own doom, with the Grim Reaper herself escorting him straight to it.

* * *

"Shido!"

"Shido."

The moment that Shido and Kurumi stepped into class, mere minutes before homeroom started, two girls instantly stood up.

The two of them were worlds apart in their appearance, but neither any less beautiful or attractive than the other. Tohka, with her long dark purple hair and taller, curvier appearance, stood a stark contrast to Origami, with her short, pale hair and leaner build, but both of them had the same look of relief on their face as they saw Shido arrive.

They also adopted the same look of displeasure when they saw Kurumi standing next to him. Even worse, she was still holding onto Shido's arm, much to his simultaneous panic and enjoyment.

"Are you okay Shido?" Tohka made a beeline for him as usual, followed closely by Origami.

"We were worried about you."

Shido laughed nervously. "Ah, it's alright you two, good morning. Nothing happened last night – Origami, I'm okay, really…" The pale, doll-like girl seemed intent on patting him down.

"I need to check you for injuries." Her hands however, were starting to become more intimate and probing.

He couldn't really blame them for causing such a scene in the class however. As Kurumi had promised that they would settle their game yesterday, and since they could still sense the enormous amount of spiritual energy in the dark Spirit, it was only natural to assume that he had not been successful in sealing her. It made the other, far more dangerous conclusion suddenly much more real. One that fortunately, had not come to pass.

"Good morning to you, Tohka-san, Origami-san," Kurumi smiled as she interposed herself between Shido and Origami, stepping close enough to cause Origami to stop and glare at her.

"Kurumi…" Tohka clenched her fist. "What have you done to Shido?"

"Don't get close to my Shido. You are dangerous, and untrustworthy." Origami's sentiment mirrored Tohka's in a rare moment of agreement.

If the cold reception presented by the two Spirits bothered Kurumi, she didn't show it.

"Ara ara…to be greeted in such a fashion, it really pains my heart to be treated with so much distrust from my fellow students," Kurumi said, burying her face in her hands in mock distress. "After all, Shido-san is here, safe and sound, and I have done nothing _unpleasant _to him, wouldn't you agree Shido-san?" She gave Shido a knowing smile as she lifted her face from her hands.

"Don't be so complicated!" Tohka pushed closer. She paused as a hint of Shido's familiar scent, mixed with something peculiar, caught her attention.

"Muuuu…" Tohka sniffed the air around him closely, and Shido felt a cold sweat break out on the back of his neck. Tohka's eyes widened in shock as she realised what the unfamiliar smell on Shido was…or rather, who it belonged to. "Shido, why do you have Kurumi's smell all over you?!"

As if fate had intervened, the entire classroom fell silent as Tohka spoke loud enough for everyone to hear. Origami immediately fixed Kurumi with a glare so intense that Shido was surprised Kurumi didn't suddenly drop dead from the sheer venom in Origami's eyes.

Mere moments later, furious whispers from his classmates broke out.

"_Hey, didn't Itsuka-kun ask Tokisaki-san out for Valentines?" _

"_I thought he would've asked Yatogami…" _

"_They came in together, did they spend the night in each other's arms?" _

"_Did Itsuka defile our pure, innocent Tokisaki? That bastard!" _

Shido hung his head in resignation of his fate. The rumours had started, and with them, what little good reputation he had left was about to die a grisly death. He and Kurumi were about to become the latest talk of the school. And given the looks that Tohka and Origami were shooting at him, it wasn't the only talk he had to worry about anymore.

* * *

School became an ordeal and a half. Shido had two immediate problems.

The first was that since Tohka's exclamation and accusation, rumours that Shido had spent the night with Kurumi exploded like a wildfire. Shido found himself receiving reactions sitting on exact opposite ends of the spectrum: knowing nudges and grins, or death glares. Sandwiched between Origami and Tohka, he was well aware of the concerned glances that they shot him when they weren't paying attention to the class, as well as their attempts at trying to glare Kurumi out of existence. Halfway through the day and already knee-deep in stares and whispers, Shido gave up trying to do anything other than valiantly focus on the class.

The second was Kurumi herself.

Kurumi had taken her usual seat, which in and of itself, was not an unusual occurrence. What was unusual however, was how he couldn't stop looking at her. He hadn't noticed before, as the time she had spent at school with him was minimal, but he had the perfect view of Kurumi from his seat if he glanced from the corner of his eye.

And what a view it was.

Every time he looked over, he began seeing so many things about her that he hadn't noticed before while she had been at school: the curve of her back as she sat, leaning forward, seemingly paying rapt attention to the class; the way her jacket tightened just right against her form, and how the black material of her tights stretched magnificently across her thighs, giving the barest hint of the luscious flesh beneath. Every stolen glance reminded him of her naked body, twisting and writhing on top of him and the memories and phantom feelings of her fingers running across his body was sending shivers running down his arms and excitement to his groin…

_Stop, stop…_

Shido wondered if it was like this for everyone – not being able to focus on anyone but the person they shared such an intimate experience with. But even he had to admit that it was a small price to pay for that night. So lost in his thoughts, Shido only noticed that class was over when he realised his name was being called.

"Shido-san. Shido-san."

"Ah!" Shido was startled out of his thoughts when he suddenly realised it was Kurumi standing in front of his desk, arms behind her back and smiling gently as if she wasn't aware of (or far more likely, deliberately chose to ignore) the glares Tohka and Origami were shooting at her.

"Do you have lunch?" Kurumi asked.

It was something that Kurumi should've known, since she had been with him since their date yesterday. He decided to humour her.

"Ah no, but I was going to go to get something."

Kurumi grinned, and brought out the box she had been holding behind her back, proffering the packed lunch to him. "How fortunate then, that _we_ prepared another for you, Shido-san."

"Oh, uh, thank you, Kurumi," Shido smiled nervously as he took the box, well aware of the looks that he was receiving.

The whispers started up again.

"_Did Tokisaki-san prepare lunch for him?" _

"_Are they secretly married already?" _

The sweat building up on his neck once more, he opened the box, revealing a very packed and delicately prepared lunch. His stomach growled in hungry anticipation.

"Shido, you mustn't eat it. It has to be poisoned," Origami said seriously. "Eat mine instead. I most definitely haven't added any substances to it."

"Y-yeah, nothing good can come from Kurumi's cooking…" Tohka trailed off as the smell reached her nose, and her mouth started watering.

"Ahhhh…" Shido briefly wondered how it had come to this, when his phone buzzed and alerted him to a message.

_The _Fraxinus_ will pick you up after school and you will definitely make yourself available. We need to talk. – Kotori_.

A location followed, indicating where he was supposed to go after.

Shido sighed. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Fortunately for Shido, the rumours started to die down somewhat as school finally drew to a close. His classmates became more focused on cleaning up and going home rather than speculating on Shido's relationships with Kurumi, Tohka and Origami, and the nature of his previous existences that allowed him to garner the affections of the three most beautiful girls in the class.

Unfortunately for Shido, his day was not yet over as three Spirits gathered around his desk. Tohka and Origami were flanking him closely like ever-watchful guardians, as if they could ward away Kurumi, standing in front of him, through their mere presence alone. Shido was also dreading the conversation that Kotori was planning to have with him after. She hadn't specified what it was about, but Shido could guess, and he doubted it was going to be pleasant regardless.

"So Shido-san, about our little game…" Kurumi smiled coquettishly at him, touching a finger to her lips. "Would you like to spend more time together tonight? It's a shame I wasn't able to resolve it last night…"

"Sorry Kurumi. I have something to do tonight, so I will have to say no for now." Shido shook his head.

"Ara, is that so? I wonder what it may relate to," Kurumi grinned. "Very well. I had planned to spend more time to get to know you even better, but this is also acceptable. I will take my leave for now Shido-san."

Kurumi leaned over the desk, causing Tohka and Origami to reflexively pull closer to Shido. She placed one hand atop of his, sending his heart racing, and gently caressed the tip of his chin with a single, elegant finger, lifting his eyes up to meet hers. The mere touch caused shivers to run down his spine, as she offered him a slighter, more gentle smile. "I look forward to seeing you again soon."

She smoothly stepped back before the Spirits to either side of Shido, both of whom looked ready to take drastic action to physically remove her, could lash out. "Good day to you as well, Tohka-san, Origami-san."

With a slight bow of her head, Kurumi turned away and disappeared out the door.

Shido watched her retreating back, and sighed slightly in disappointment. Kurumi's usual demeanour seemed to have returned. He had honestly hoped to see more of her true side, the one that she had shown him when they had been together. Not to mention, they had yet to speak properly about what they were now. Kurumi had acted as if nothing had happened at all, but he couldn't help but dwell on their brief moments this morning; how she fixed up his uniform, and had a lunch prepared for him. Did she truly care, or was it all an act?

He desperately hoped it was the former.

"Shido, are you okay?" Tohka's concern snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Uh yeah, it's all good. Let's go, Kotori wants to talk to us." Shaking his head, as if it would force any lingering doubts and concerns about Kurumi away, Shido and the two sealed Spirits began walking out of the school and to the location where the _Fraxinus_ would be able to pick them up.

* * *

The _Fraxinus_ did a fairly commendable job at hiding the fact that it was designed as a military airship, but on occasion, parts of its original purpose shone through. One of these was the presence of interrogation rooms. Distinct from the containment room which disguised itself as a homely living room, with the purpose of allowing the Spirits on-board a friendlier environment to remain in – a necessity when spikes in the Spirit's mental instability and stress could quite possibly lead to a hole in the side of the ship – the interrogation rooms by their very nature were decidedly less comfortable. All cold metal, sharp corners and utilitarian to the bone, the room was furnished with the absolute bare minimum: a table, two chairs, and a one-way mirror.

The already cramped and uncomfortable room for two became even smaller as all the Spirits present, plus Reine in her dutiful role as the _Fraxinus'_ head analyst, packed into room to watch Kotori and Shido have the world's most intimidating staring contest.

Adopted brother and sister sat across from each other, the only sound coming from Kotori as she sucked on yet another lollipop. With black ribbons tying up her hair and a red jacket draped over her shoulders, Kotori was in her element as the _Fraxinus'_ harsh commander. Her sharp gaze scrutinised him carefully, not missing a single detail. The Spirits, in a rare case of tact, were quiet as well, picking up on the tense atmosphere – so tense in fact, one could cut it with a blunt knife.

Kotori's sharp voice however, was sufficient.

"So Shido, would you care to tell me what happened last night? After Kurumi shot out of cameras and took you to God-knows-where, out of our sight and ability to help?" Dangerous undertones lined Kotori's words. "Would you like to explain to everyone why you dropped out of contact, and why the first thing we knew about your safety was when one of Kurumi's clones came to _our home_, to tell us that you were okay and _'not to worry'_?"

Feeling both slightly defensive and guilty, Shido took a deep breath. "Kotori, I'm sorry I didn't contact you after, but I had to go with Kurumi. I wanted to learn more about her –"

Kotori suddenly slammed her fist against the table and stood up, knocking her chair back with a bang. The sudden action startled most of the other Spirits. "You _idiot_! What kind of stupid brother do I have? Did you forget that Kurumi is planning on eating you? And you still decided to go with her, by yourself, after she destroyed all the cameras and the earpiece? If she had wanted to _eat_ you, she could've done that easily and there would be nothing we could do!"

"Kurumi's not like that!" Shido protested suddenly. "She promised she wouldn't use force –"

"Are you a kid?" Kotori snapped. "She made a promise? So what, Kurumi promises you she won't eat you and you decide that it's enough to make it all fine to go with her?"

The tension in the tiny room had reached a boiling point. The Spirits nervously glanced back and forth as they watched brother and sister argue vehemently, looking increasingly worried as Kotori appeared ready to leap across the table and try to strangle her brother.

"Kotori." Reine's ever-exhausted, soporific voice caused Kotori to pause as the head analyst gave her a placating look. Or at least, what Shido thought was a placating look given how she permanently looked like she was going to keel over any second. Regardless, it was enough to reach the _Fraxinus'_ commander.

Kotori sucked in a deep breath before pulling her chair back, slowly sitting back down. Shido took it as the signal to continue.

"Kotori," Shido's voice shook but he held firm. "Kurumi didn't force me to go with her. I chose to. I'm sorry I didn't let you know, but isn't that why we're here? To save the Spirits right? We've always faced danger, every time. If I want to save Kurumi, I have to take that risk. She's worth saving Kotori. She's not the person we think she is."

Kotori scowled. "And how do you know that? She's a Spirit but she's killed with her own hands."

"Kurumi showed me…"

"What do you mean, Shin?" Reine seemed to be more attentive, her fingers pausing above her tablet.

"Her Angel, Zaphkiel? It has the power to recall memories. She used it to transfer her memories to me."

"What did she show you?" Kotori had calmed down, but her face still sported a scowl.

Shido paused, wondering how much of it was appropriate to tell them. As much as he desperately wanted them to know and understand Kurumi and the path she had embarked on, there was no question that Kurumi had intended the memories for him and him alone. To tell them everything would be a betrayal of that trust she had placed in him.

And so he told them, albeit a heavily redacted version of what he had experienced. Of Kurumi's past, her betrayal and her lofty determination to set things right, no matter the cost; her reputation, her body, her soul. Even as he spoke however, Shido couldn't help but relive the memories again, and the emotions that were certainly not his flared up – regret, pain, loneliness and anger. If anything however, they only increased his determination to save Kurumi from herself. But it also sparked other, beating emotions in his heart: longing, tenderness, the desire to relieve someone of all the hurt and pain. Shido tried not to dwell on it too much even as he recalled Kurumi's memories.

By the time he finished, everyone was silent. He couldn't blame them – they all likely needed a moment to digest his words. But in the end, Kotori sighed, all the anger gone.

"There's not much we can do about it now then anymore. Shido, you can go home. Same for the rest of you guys. Reine, could you stay back please? We need to talk about what to do next."

Reine gave a slight nod and Kotori continued, raising a hand to stop Shido as he started to protest.

"Kurumi's goal and you being alive are still mutually incompatible. Since we didn't manage to seal her, she's still a threat, and we need to come up with a plan to deal with her."

What Kotori didn't mention was that she currently had no idea how to proceed. But she didn't let any of that show through, and the Spirits in the room nodded in agreement regardless of her own doubts.

"Well that's it then, unless any of you have any more questions?"

"Oh, oh! I have one! Shido, why did you come to school with Kurumi's smell all over you?" Tohka asked quizzically.

"Well, the place she took me to only had one bed…" Shido offered, trying his best to deflect the question away and growing increasingly nervous about the line of questioning. Revealing to ten other girls, all of whom were very capable of reducing him to a splatter if they saw fit, that he had gotten to know Kurumi _very_ _intimately_ was not high on his to-do list.

Unfortunately, Origami's perceptiveness, especially when it came to all matters Shido, was unrivalled.

"Shido, your heart is beating faster than it usually is. Your eyes are glancing around more frequently, and you have been bouncing your leg since Tohka asked you the question. Your sweat glands are also producing more sweat than usual. You are nervous about something."

Shido laughed nervously, which didn't help his cause at all. "Ah, it's nothing Origami. Don't worry about it."

But now, everyone else was paying attention to him, and Kotori fixed him with another glower.

"Shido, this isn't some embarrassing secret like keeping a girl's school uniform hidden away in your closet from mother and father. You're trying to keep a secret about _Kurumi_. The Worst Spirit. You do not keep secrets about her from us, not when we're trying to protect you from her, and not when she is trying to _eat_ you!" Kotori barked. "Now, spill it!"

Completely cornered and feeling immensely guilty, Shido wilted before her anger. "We, uh. We, well…"

Shido cleared his throat. "We had sex…" His voice faded as he finished his sentence.

Dead silence filled the room. Kotori had stopped sucking on her lollipop and even ever-sleepy Reine looked shocked.

Then it exploded into a flurry of sound and movement.

"EH?!" At least two Spirits had the same reaction.

"Ooh! Way to go, Shido-kun, bagging a beautiful babe!"

"I've made a mistake. Clearly Kurumi is a much greater threat than anticipated."

"Shock. Yuzuru was not expecting this."

"Darling?!"

"H-heh, well done Boy? Wait, does this mean I need call you Man now?"

"Mun? Nushi-sama, what hath thou dabbled in?"

Shido felt himself shrinking into his seat as the Spirits started rushing over.

Amongst all the Spirits however, Tohka was the one who looked confused, as she glanced around, wrinkling her brow. "Muuu…hey Shido, what's happening? Why's everyone so upset?"

That caught Kaguya's attention, and torn between questioning Shido about the type of man he was and desperately needing a distraction, she chose the latter. She turned her hotly flushing face to face Tohka.

"A-a, ah! My kinswoman! Your face, it radiates the bamboozlement of the common fellow! Allow me to show you enlightenment!" Kaguya rushed over, which in turn drew Yuzuru's gaze. As usual, the more stoic of the twins had a comment within moments.

"Disbelief. Kaguya, the probability of you explaining this to Tohka successfully is the same as the probability of you growing womanly charms."

"H-hey! Don't look down on me! Maybe you're just jealous!" Kaguya retorted, her face flushed with embarrassment and righteous anger.

Yuzuru's eyes narrowed slightly. "Unconvinced. Yuzuru has nothing to be jealous of."

"Wanna bet? My master is clearly superior to yours!" Kaguya puffed out her chest proudly. "Not only do the shadows follow in her footsteps, but her knowledge of seduction and feminine charms is unparalleled! With my master's guidance, this body will charm all who gaze upon it! Be prepared to lose, Yuzuru!"

Kaguya then raised her arms above her head, stretching as if emulating a model's pose.

While the Yamai twins continued their usual bickering, the other Spirits crowded around Shido, badgering him with questions.

"Everyone! Please, could you just listen to me…" As Shido tried to raise his voice over the others, he noticed that Origami, oddly enough, was not taking advantage of the situation to do something perverted and intrusive on his person, as she was prone to do in such confusing situations. He looked around and spotted a head of immaculately trimmed white hair walk out. "Hey! Origami!"

But Origami ignored him, and walked purposefully out of the room.

* * *

The moment Kurumi left the school grounds, she turned into the first alleyway she found. Dark and alone, it was perfect for her purposes. A tap of her foot against the ground later, and her shadow had expanded, one of her many clones climbing up.

"Are _we_ ready?" Kurumi asked.

"Of course, _me_. As you requested, as many of us as possible are waiting for you now," her clone replied.

"Good." Kurumi tapped twice more against the ground, and suddenly she was engulfed by the shadow which formed her characteristic Astral Dress around her. A moment later, she sunk into the shadow.

When she re-emerged from her own personal dimension into the lobby of one of the city's many abandoned commercial buildings, she was greeted by a sight that nearly everyone else would've found to be odd: a large group of girls, all with the same appearance and identical faces, were gathering together. There were a few variations in the girls' clothing, but they were few and far between, and for all intents and purposes, they were exact clones of each other. The Kurumi clones formed smaller groups as they shared information and chattered away with each other in the same voice.

One of the difficulties Kurumi had found with forming such a large information network was how to properly coordinate them. As much as they were _her_, her clones weren't psychically linked to her, and without seeing her, passing instructions were difficult. Kurumi relied on a relay system, where a few dedicated clones would always be available for her to pass back and forth additional information and instructions as needed – or in this case, gather them all together for next steps.

The moment Kurumi stepped out in the group, the conversations all died down to a few hushed murmurs instantly. All eyes were on her as she made her way to the stairs, and sunk down on the landing once she could see most of the group.

"Anything to report?" she asked her doppelgangers.

As usual, her clones with something to mention raised any issue. The majority of it was mildly useful information about things happening in the city, but Kurumi was particularly concerned about anything to do with DEM. The clones she had tasked with monitoring DEM had yet to return though. For now, she settled with the knowledge that her clones had been countering the Nibelcol search parties quite well, even if that meant she had to replenish her numbers again.

"Very well then, please continue with your efforts and stay extra vigilant for any action by DEM, especially against Shido-san. If there is nothing else, you may leave."

"Ah! A question, _me_," one of her clones called out.

"Yes?"

"Is it true that _me_ finally made love to Shido-san last night?"

A loud buzz erupted among the clones as the new information raced through them like a wildfire.

Kurumi choked, cheeks flushing a bright red. A strangled sound made its way out of her throat as she tried to recover. "Ah – please refrain from calling it that! I did not 'make love' to Shido-san last night!"

If anything, the murmurs became even more energetic. Mortified and her train of thought completely derailed, Kurumi tried to counter their misconception.

"It was just sex! There was absolutely nothing else to it!" she insisted. "The whole purpose of it all was just to make Shido-san feel enflamed and consumed by his lust for me! To win his heart!"

Perhaps she had overdone it, as her clones looked both unconvinced and amused by her words.

"Ara, is _me_ trying to convince us, or _me_?"

"But _me_…if it really was just sex, then why did _me_ enjoy it so much?" One of her clones asked.

"Yes yes, from what I saw, _me_ was very into it," another unhelpfully added.

"Enough!" Kurumi shouted. "Please do not mistake my actions! They were done solely for the sake of achieving my goal of having Shido-san fall for me!"

Her outburst caused the clones to quieten down for a moment. Relieved, Kurumi thought the matter had been resolved. Alas, even amongst her clones, the urge to gossip was proving too strong.

"So _me_…" one of her clones started slyly. "Was Shido-san a good lover?"

"Ahhhh for his first time, he certainly looked very capable!"

Giggles and chatter broke out among the clones again, and Kurumi's burned in embarrassment. It was one thing to be aware of the possibility that her clones might have been watching her and Shido as they coupled. It was another thing entirely to _know_ that they had been.

Over the voices of the other clones however, one question clearly cut through.

"_Me_…are you sure about this path? Would _me_ really be happy with the decision to _eat_ Shido-san after this?"

The simple question caused all the others to stop, as if they sensed the significance behind the question – and more importantly, her answer.

"_We_ are curious too…exposing our softer side to Shido-san, preparing lunch for him, helping him prepare for school…are these actions truly necessary for our goal?"

"Yes, even _we_, as temporary as we are, could feel happiness from the chance to provide for Shido-san..."

This was a dangerous path that her clones were starting to walk down, Kurumi realised, and she had to put a stop to it.

"I will say it again: do not question my determination to see this through," Kurumi firmly stated through gritted teeth. "I will capture Shido-san's heart, I will take his power, and I will use it to achieve our absolute goal."

The clones paused, but only for a moment. "That is true. Our goal has not changed. But _me_ hasn't answered the real question: will _me_ be happy with this choice?"

"Even we could see that _me's_ happiness was higher after sharing that with Shido-san – "

"My happiness?" Kurumi asked, incredulous. Anger flared up from within her. "_My happiness_ does not factor into this at all – this is all about our, no, my goal! What does _my happiness_ matter, as long as we can fix our mistakes, and ensure that Sawa-san is brought back?"

Surprised at her sudden outburst, her clones fell silent. Kurumi used the chance to take a few deep breaths to calm herself, trying to regain her centre.

"My happiness with Shido-san does not matter. My feelings for Shido-san do not matter." They were supposed to be strong words, but instead they came out empty and hollow. "If it becomes a choice between Shido-san and our goal, then I will choose our goal. For as long as we achieve what we promised to do, to rid this world of _that_ Spirit, and return everything to zero, then surely, my happiness…will also be achieved."

Even as her clones exchanged glances with each other, Kurumi stared at the floor, trying her utmost to ignore the doubt in her own voice – and the ache in her beating heart.

* * *

"Master, master! Look at this!"

Isaac Westcott stopped in the middle of his discussion with the two women as a gaggle of over-energetic girls with identical faces poured into his office.

He frowned, and was about to say something when he noticed what the lead Nibelcol was carrying.

A head, with long, black hair tied into asymmetrical tails and a pair of lifeless eyes, one red, the other a golden clock.

Nightmare.

"Girls, what do we have here?" Westcott smiled as Ellen and Artemisia twisted to look at the pseudo-Spirits.

"We found _them_ sneaking around!" one of the Nibelcol giggled.

"We got into a fight!" chimed another.

"We killed one, but the rest managed to get away," a third mentioned as the Nibelcol holding one of Nightmare's clone's head placed it down on Westcott's desk.

"Ah…" Westcott smiled, having put the pieces together, before summoning an ominous black book, decorated with spiteful and devilish ornaments.

The All-Knowing Demon King, _Beelzebub_.

Its mere appearance caused the hairs on the back of Ellen and Artemisia's neck to stand on edge, a faint feeling of discomfort echoing throughout all who gazed upon such a terrible existence. Westcott merely chuckled in amusement as the Demon King told him everything it could know.

The two Wizards shared a look before turning back to Westcott.

"Are you going to tell us?" Ellen asked.

"Oh, something interesting," Westcott said as the book disappeared, the discomforting air dissipating with it. "It appears that our dear boy, Shido Itsuka, has finally had a long overdue tryst with one of the Spirits."

Ellen's lip curled in disgust.

"And the Spirit in question?" Westcott leaned back on his chair. "Nightmare. It makes perfect sense now, why we failed to kill him all those times before."

"She's protecting him?" Artemisia guessed.

"Most likely." Westcott grinned, steepling his hands together in thought.

A pregnant pause filled the office, the only sound being the furious whispers of the Nibelcol as they chattered amongst themselves. It _was_ very strange, that Nightmare, a Spirit who considered most humans her food, would take it upon herself to become Shido's protector – his guardian angel, as it were.

"…I do believe, ladies, that we have an opportunity," Westcott declared to Ellen and Artemisia. He stopped them before they could say anything. "But that is a later discussion. For now, let us retire, and I will tell you everything we need to do tomorrow."

With nods, humanity's two most powerful Wizards left.

Nightmare really did have such beautiful features, Westcott mused as he took in the lifeless head sitting on his desk. It was hardly surprising that the boy had fallen for her. Idly, he stroked his hand through her hair. Really, the only question now was why Nightmare had taken it upon herself to protect the boy. Beelzebub could tell him everything that had happened in this world, but even it could not peer into someone's heart. Some things, it would appear, were destined to remain forever a mystery in life.

But he didn't need an omniscient Demon King to know that something had changed with the Worst Spirit. Something very unexpected indeed.

"Nibelcol, be a dear and take this away would you please?" he called out.

With cries of 'yes, master!', the group of Nibelcol jostled and shoved each other as they rushed to be the one to fulfil their master's request. They left as loudly as they came, carrying the grisly remains with them.

A silence soon descended on the luxurious office, leaving Westcott alone with his thoughts.

He stood up from his desk and looked through the expansive window at the peaceful world below.

Somewhere out there, was the elusive Spirit of shadow and time, and her lover. Someone she had opened up to. Opportunity had fallen into his lap, and he was not about to waste it.

"For such an inhuman existence, you certainly have a very human heart," Westcott laughed.

"Allow me show you, Nightmare, just how hard the human heart can break."

* * *

It was a sleepless night for Shido.

Despite being in his own room now, staring up at a familiar ceiling, he felt anything but peaceful. Part of that was from an exhausting time trying to placate the other Spirits. They had finally had stopped after Kotori had threatened to revoke all privileges from the offenders unless they went home and let Shido get some rest. Another part was loneliness. Sleeping with Kurumi, holding her to him had been oddly comforting. Part of him still wished that the Spirit was there to hold closely as he slept.

The other part was that it felt like someone was watching him.

He had peered through the window several times with bated breath, half-hoping that a Spirit with mismatched red and gold eyes would be there, waiting for him. But every time he did so, he saw nothing.

_I must be going crazy_, he thought. Pining over a sadistic Spirit who he wasn't even sure was his enemy or not? Definitely crazy.

He sighed again. Kurumi wasn't his enemy. But she could hardly be called a friend either. A lover then? He recalled how _tender_ she had been after their coupling. More than anything, he wanted to experience that sort of closeness with Kurumi again. Did that mean he loved her too? It was dangerous to admit that the thought of being with Kurumi pulled at his heartstrings, given their game which they still hadn't settled…and how could he fall for someone who had the goal of taking his life should his heart be captured by them?

_Argh, stop it!_ Shido kicked off his blankets in frustration and rubbed his face. What was Kurumi doing to him?

A warm drink would probably help him calm down. That decided, Shido quietly padded down the stairs. The rest of the house was silent, Kotori long asleep, and he found himself in the kitchen, wondering what to make.

A sudden light knock on the door snapped him from his thoughts. He frowned slightly as he walked over, wondering who in their right mind who would come at this hour. It was probably one of the Spirits.

Shido was right, but the Spirit behind the door was not who he expected.

"Ku-Kurumi?" Shido spluttered.

Kurumi was indeed standing at his door, a shy smile on her face. She was wearing her characteristic red and black Astral Dress, and her left eye was still a golden inorganic clock-face, which confirmed that the Worst Spirit and not some girl who looked like her was in front of his home. Her sudden appearance, and the way she had chosen to show up threw him off-balance. He was used to Kurumi suddenly appearing out of the shadows with a knowing smile on her face, usually when things had gone to hell, or waking up on her lap, with her watching over him as he slept.

Seeing her standing at his door was just so…ordinary.

"May I come in, Shido-san?" Kurumi asked sweetly.

"Uh, sure, of course." Shido stood to the side and raised his arm in invitation.

Closing the door behind her as she walked in, Shido couldn't help but watch in fascination as Kurumi knelt down, hiked her dress over her knees and began to unlace her boots. A tiny hint of excitement welled up in him, fed by the memories of Kurumi undressing the night they had sex. He watched, mesmerised, as Kurumi pulled her boots off, exposing long legs clad in black stockings.

"Shido-san?" Kurumi waved a hand in his face.

"Huh?" Shido blurted, suddenly snapped out of his reverie. Kurumi stood happily in front of him.

"I'm sorry, I must've not been paying attention. Do you want something to drink?" Remembering his manners and that Kurumi was a guest, he started for the kitchen.

"That would be wonderful; I would love to take anything from Shido-san," Kurumi said, following him.

Try as he might, he couldn't prevent the image of the amazingly seductive way Kurumi had swallowed his orgasm after giving him his first blowjob when she said that.

As he prepared some tea, he watched Kurumi from the corner of his eye as she wandered about the kitchen curiously. Every now and then, she would turn back and catch his eye, and a flirtatious grin would break out across her face, to which he would embarrassedly turn away with a blush on his face.

Thankful that he had the tea to focus on, he diligently set his mind to the task until it was ready. He set down the pot and cups on the table. "Hey Kurumi, the tea is ready."

"Ah! Thank you Shido-san," Kurumi smiled and accepted the tea. Nothing strong, given how late it was, but Kurumi certainly appeared to find the warmth welcome.

Shido watched, unsure of where to start. Five minutes ago he had been half-hoping that Kurumi would show up. Now that she was actually here, he had no idea what to do.

"So, uh, Kurumi?" He winced at how lame it sounded.

"Yes, Shido-san?"

"Why did you come here this late?"

Kurumi blushed slightly, and put her cup down. "Honestly? I came here to visit you, Shido-san. I'm sorry if I have interrupted you or anything…"

"No no!" Shido said hastily, waving a hand. "You're not interrupting or anything!"

"I'm glad." Kurumi thought for a moment, before she suddenly reached up and clasped his hands. He blushed at the sudden contact, but didn't pull away. "Shido-san, I hope I am not being too forward, but can we go to your room? Please?"

Something was definitely off with Kurumi, Shido thought. He hadn't expected Kurumi to be this reserved, or shy. But remaining in the open living room with her was an invitation for disaster if Kotori or any of the other Spirits were to walk in randomly.

"I guess we can– I mean sure!" Shido hastily corrected himself as Kurumi's face seem to fall before picking up.

"Really? I'm so happy to hear that!" Kurumi stood up quickly, never letting go of Shido's hand. "Then can we go? Right now?"

"H-hey, wait a second," Shido protested, "Let me put these away and we can go."

Kurumi waited almost impatiently as he put the cups away, before following him back to his room.

"Please come inside Kurumi." Shido opened the door, thankful that he kept his room neat. "Take a seat wherever you like."

Kurumi's attention however was drawn to his desk. The Spirit strode over, not saying anything as she looked at the picture that Shido had on his shelf. It was the photo of fake wedding that Shido had with Kurumi's clone.

"…you kept it," Kurumi said, almost in awe as Shido came up behind her. She picked up the photo and held it closer, tracing a finger across the surface.

"Huh?" Shido wrinkled his brow in confusion. She knew about the photo? But then that would mean…

Shido yelped as Kurumi suddenly spun around and threw herself into him. With a cry, they toppled onto the floor in a tangle of limbs.

"Owww," Shido winced. "Kurumi, are you okay?"

He had just looked up to check on Kurumi, when she lunged forward and captured his lips between hers.

Shido froze.

Ever since meeting the Spirits, a kiss had taken on an entirely different meaning for him. No longer just a sign of affection, a kiss signified that the Spirit in question had placed their trust in him in; a source of comfort and security in an unwelcoming world.

Kurumi had never kissed him, until now.

Even if he had dreamed about it, he never could have imagined it how pleasant it was. Kurumi's lips were so soft and smooth, and he found himself pressing back up against her, kissing her deeply until his lungs helpfully reminded him that oxygen was a necessity for living.

They separated, Kurumi breathing heavily as a strand of saliva connected their mouths momentarily. Even as he gathered his breath and thoughts, Shido realised something was different. Unlike the other times he had sealed the Spirit's power, although his chest felt a bit warm – which he attributed to Kurumi being suddenly pressed up against him – he thought he couldn't feel anything flowing into his chest. It meant that he hadn't sealed Kurumi's power.

And then the pieces fell into place.

Kurumi's unexpected behaviour. Her knowledge of their photo. The lack of _reiryoku_ flowing into him.

This Kurumi was a clone. And he had a suspicion he knew which one.

"Kurumi?" Shido asked.

Kurumi's clone smiled, slightly sadly, back at him. "I'm sorry Shido-san. I could not resist…I've been waiting forever and ever to see you again."

"That means…you're the same Kurumi from that time?" Shido dared to hope.

The clone – Kurumi, nodded.

"What did you wish for?" Shido fished, trying to make absolutely sure.

"On Tanabata? That I wish to see Shido again one day," Kurumi recited, "…and it appears as if my wish was granted. I'm so happy that you still remember me, Shido-san."

Shido smiled back. "Don't you remember? I made you a promise. Even if the rain falls day after day, I won't forget you. And I haven't."

Kurumi's response was to lean in and capture his lips between her own again.

The photo clattered to the ground as Kurumi ran her hands up his sides and across his back even as they kissed.

Her tongue pressed against his lips, urgently seeking entry and when he opened his lips, he tried to match her, tongues dancing and slipping as Kurumi moaned into his mouth. He sucked on her tongue, drawing her in deeper, his hands on her back, pulling her closer and not letting her go.

It was sloppy and wet and inexperienced. It was also the best kiss that Shido had ever received, and he was quite sure that Kurumi felt the same way, given how deeply she was panting as she pulled back slightly to look him in the eyes.

"Shido-san, I know this is quite selfish of me, but please…since you have made love to the real _me_…make love to me as well, Shido-san, please," Kurumi all but begged. "It would mean the world to me, Shido-san."

Shido hesitated for a moment.

He looked into Kurumi's eyes, and found a look that would normally appear out of place for the confident, seductive and sensual Spirit – need, uncertainty and shyness filled her eyes as she looked expectantly at him. Kurumi was waiting for him to make the first move. She clearly desired him, and he remembered how much she valued his company when she was reborn a second time. He hadn't known then, that their time together was all that she had, and he had always regretted his wariness towards her, even if she had still enjoyed her limited time with him. This time, he was determined to make her happy by his own hand.

Leaning in, Shido kissed her.

He felt himself growing excited, as Kurumi returned his kiss, eagerly pushing her tongue against his and moaning as they touched. A shudder ran through him as a familiar scent, undeniably female, undeniably _Kurumi_, filled his senses, and the phantom memories of a warm body pressed against his returned. Passion, excitement, arousal filled him with a pleasant buzz as the kiss deepened. Their tongues swirled and danced around each other, as she leaned more and more into him, desperately seeking that warm touch, that fiery passion that she had been craving since being reborn again.

Panting, Kurumi pulled back and stared at him with eyes filled with love and lust. No words needed to be said, as he was sure that his gaze matched hers. She released her Astral Dress, itself a pale imitation of the original, and it dissolved into flecks of shadows, baring her naked body for him. Shido drank in the sight; she was exactly like Kurumi, and just like her – she was perfect.

She mewled in pleasure as Shido took the initiative, bringing his lips to the sensitive, smooth skin of her breast. He cupped her breasts in his hands, loving the feel of their comfortable weight and suppleness, and her smoothness contrasting against the rougher skin of his hands.

"Shido-san…more…" Kurumi groaned.

He obliged her.

Unlike the real Kurumi, this Kurumi was so much more demure and uncertain. She admitted as much, not having the same experience that her true self did. So, surprised by his own assertiveness, Shido took the lead. He took her by the hand and led her to the bed. Even as she swung her leg over his hips and settled down atop of him, their breathing becoming shorter, huskier in anticipation of the pleasure ahead.

And for the second time in as many nights, Shido found himself sinking deeper and deeper between Kurumi's hot, wet flesh.

Despite his attempts not to, he couldn't help but draw comparisons between this Kurumi and the real Kurumi. Whereas his encounter with the real Kurumi had been tinged with the excitement of doing something so deliciously sinful, an experience that was supposed to be so wrong yet felt so _right_, the Kurumi he was with now filled him with the warm pleasure of being with someone so familiar and loving. He didn't question the feeling rising from within him. He embraced it, sought more of it. He wanted more with Kurumi.

Yet as they moved together, it was her eyes which stayed with him all night. He felt his heart pound faster as he met her gaze even as they slowly coupled; shining with love, adoration and joy, as if this had been everything she wanted and was now experiencing.

"Sh-Shido," Kurumi looked at him, savouring the expression on his face and noises from his lips. "K-keep going…"

He didn't need any further encouragement, and kissed her deeply, muffling her moans as their hips moved in unison until the overwhelming sensation sent Kurumi spiralling into her orgasm. Her eyes widened, and she squealed and moaned into his mouth as she convulsed in pleasure beneath him, and in turn, sent Shido's orgasm crashing into him at last.

They lay together for a while, panting and trying to recover from their climaxes. Careful not to crush Kurumi, Shido rolled onto his side, and pulled Kurumi close, and tried to understand just what happened.

He had sex with Kurumi – arguably again. And it was every bit as amazing as the first time.

A warm sensation filled his chest and heart, as he basked in the afterglow of their mutual orgasms.

The moment disappeared suddenly, not through the shattering glass of the window, but a warm, wet touch on Shido's chest.

Alarmed, Shido lifted his head but could only see Kurumi's hair. Yet the feeling of something dripping on his chest continued. Even if he couldn't see, he knew what it was, a notion only reinforced when he heard Kurumi sniffle.

Kurumi was crying.

Not openly, as she was clearly attempting to stifle anything remotely resembling the sort, but there was no mistaking it.

Panic swelled up in Shido, the euphoria disappearing in an instant as he gently took hold of Kurumi's shoulders.

"Hey, Kurumi…are you okay?"

Any confidence he had built up during their lovemaking gone, Shido gingerly held Kurumi in his arms, trying his best to comfort her. He caressed the smooth skin of her arm, spoke what he thought were soothing words to her, one hand coming up to stroke her head in a calming manner.

Kurumi's quiet sobs eventually died down as she looked at him, her eyes wet.

"I'm sorry you had to see that, Shido-san." Kurumi wiped the remaining tears from her eyes. "I wanted to make tonight special for you." She had a self-deprecating smile on her face, before she ducked into his chest again.

"Kurumi…" Shido continued to stare at her, concerned. This was so unlike the Kurumi he knew. He risked pulling her closer to him, hugging her slender form to his chest. Kurumi didn't resist, and more than anything else, seemed to melt into him. "Do you want to talk?"

"…that's Shido-san for you," Kurumi said after a moment of silence. "You've always been so kind and gentle, even to someone like me."

Shido stayed quiet, as Kurumi seemed to struggle with something. A quiet tension filled the air, as if something important was about to happen.

"Shido-san," Kurumi spoke up suddenly. "When _me_ gave you our memories, there was something which _me_ didn't tell you."

She opened and closed her mouth a few times, as if testing her next words. Finally, she settled on the simplest, most direct path.

"In the strictest sense Shido-san, you should not be alive right now."

Shido stared at her dumbly. "Kurumi? What – what are you talking about? I'm dead? But how? I'm still alive…"

Kurumi hushed him. "Please let me finish, Shido-san. Do you remember, one week ago, when _me_ challenged you on the school roof?"

He nodded.

"At that time, DEM struck first. With a surprise attack, bringing the overwhelming power of their finest wizards to bear, DEM was able to succeed in killing Shido-san, and achieve their goal: the inversion of the Sprits."

Kurumi continued, almost reciting a story. "_Me_ couldn't allow this to remain. You are aware that Zaphkiel, allows _me_ to manipulate time in almost any way, yes? One of the ways is for _me_ to restore her memories to a previous existence. And that is what _me_ did. We reset the time of this world, before DEM attacked, and tried to prevent them from succeeding. But _me_, even with all of us, is just one Spirit against the might of DEM. It was a frustrating and trying time. Two hundred and four times, DEM has killed you. Two hundred and four times, _me_ has reset this world. Two hundred and four times, _me_ has asked us to make the ultimate sacrifice. And two hundred and four times, _we_ did so without hesitation."

"The price that _me_ pays for this power is immense. Not only in time, but to relive the same experience, over and over, to watch Shido-san die before our very eyes time and time again. Me's heart became fatigued. Me's mind had reached its limit. We were…uncertain, as to how to bring about our victory. Yet we managed. So when _she_ made love to you Shido-san? It made it real. It was what _me_ needed. It confirmed that _we_ had succeeded, against the odds, of bringing Shido-san back to life. So thank you Shido-san. For accepting _me_."

Kurumi snuggled closer to him.

"While _me_ did not want you to hear this, I have never been very good at following orders. I wanted to tell you Shido-san, of the scale of me's sacrifice. It was the main reason I came here tonight. But more selfishly…I personally wanted to come and see you Shido-san. To see you, to hear you, to touch you; it makes me so happy to see that you are truly alive."

Kurumi smiled at him through wet eyes. "In this current time, Shido-san is still alive, and _me_ has not asked us for our lives yet. But Shido-san, I know very well, that if _me_ asked, that if it was for Shido-san's sake, then I will gladly sacrifice everything for you without hesitation. Even my life. Just as the previous _me's_ have, so will I, if or when the time comes."

Shido stared, trying to comprehend everything that Kurumi had just told him. Not only that he was supposed to be dead, but it was Kurumi who had saved him. It was a level of dedication that astounded even him. And hearing that declaration from her clone, that one who would give herself up for him? His heart trembled.

It was simply too much to take in right now. So he did the only thing that he could think of.

He pulled Kurumi in closer and kissed her. He tried to convey every single confusing feeling that was swirling in him through touch alone – he doubted he could even express a fraction of how he felt in words.

And so he held onto her, taking comfort in her presence – it made so much sense now, why he felt so comfortable around Kurumi – and did not let go until they both fell asleep.

* * *

Kurumi yawned as she woke, arching her back and stretching sore muscles. She smiled in satisfaction at the thought of _how_ her muscles had become sore. Shido was still hugging her as he slept, his warmth seeping into her naked body. A blush filled her cheeks as she remembered how he had held her, gently thrusting inside her, drawing out a series of pleasurable moans from her lips until he had come and filled her with his seed.

It was almost a dream come true. Being with Shido had been everything she had imagined and more. Kurumi sighed happily as she idly rubbed her womb, before holding Shido closer, basking in his warmth and stroking his hair. She never wanted this moment to end.

The world unfortunately, was a cruel place, and the dream was shattered the next moment.

"Hello, _me_. Did you sleep well?"

She froze. The warmth disappeared instantly and her blood turned to ice in her veins. The words were spoken in _her_ voice, innocent in nature, but with all the menacing intent of a predator closing in on its prey. She slowly turned around, doing her best not to disturb Shido, to face the speaker.

Kurumi Tokisaki – the real Kurumi Tokisaki – had settled herself comfortably in Shido's chair, legs crossed, examining the wedding photo held in her hands. In spite of the extremely dangerous situation she was now in, Kurumi couldn't help but notice the most inconsequential of things, such as how _Kurumi_ had also taken her boots off, and her mind wandered back to how she had done the same last night.

And then she noticed the flintlock pistol sitting on the table, the barrel gleaming hungrily. She never had to carry her pistol around, always being able to summon it from her shadows when needed. Kurumi placing it on the desk, in plain view, was a signal of intent.

"_Me_…" Kurumi swallowed.

_Kurumi_ looked up from the photo, and smiled coldly. Replacing the photo on the desk, she rested a hand against her pistol, a finger tapping against the body ominously.

"You've certainly been up to quite a lot, as usual," she said casually, her tone icy. "It's been a while since we last saw each other; we really do need to catch up, wouldn't you agree? As a matter of fact, why don't you start, _me_? I've been _dying_ to know."


End file.
